


You Are My Sunshine

by bipbopbamlookatthatlamb24



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF), The Sims (Video Games)
Genre: Childhood Sweethearts, Devan - Freeform, M/M, Synesthesia, What has my life become, artist!dab, cuteness, davan?, geek!evan, lgbtq+, ship name anyone?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 18:52:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11042187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bipbopbamlookatthatlamb24/pseuds/bipbopbamlookatthatlamb24
Summary: Dab finds it hard to concentrate with so many colors and sounds distracting him. Right across the street Evan finds it hard to make friends. The boys find solace in each other's friendship that eventually evolves into something that everyone saw coming except for them.





	You Are My Sunshine

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [just some dab and evan headcanons](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10831527) by [hopefulrosie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopefulrosie/pseuds/hopefulrosie). 



> This is my interpretation and dramatization of something similar to synesthesia. It is in no way meant to educate anyone on what it's like to actually have it or be offensive

Dab tried to pay attention in class. He really did. Everyday he sat down at his desk and laced his hands together, determined to focus on the teacher. Yet, everyday he ended up with a pencil in his hand as he sketched shapes onto his desk. At first he cleaned only his desk. When was evident his behavior wasn't changing, the rules changed to include all the desks. Everyday he left the classroom and walked home with Evan, his childhood friend. It was more of a friendly sort of thing to appease their parents. They always walked home in silence with Evan turning into his house almost sullenly.

One day Dab walked out of his classroom a little later than usual (his teacher had made him clean the chalkboard as well), and he saw that Evan was still hanging around for him. Sure it was kind of a rule for him, but today it caught Dab’s eye. Evan never complained about it, never asked for something different. He would sit reading (it was a different book every day), and silently get up and walk home when Dab was ready.

The second thing Dab noticed was the way the sunset glinted off the other boy’s dark hair. It brought out an array of different colors, almost like a rainbow. The color tasted differently than the normal black. It was sweeter and made him light on his feet. So he talked to the silent, friendless Evan who was already walking over to his house.

“Do you want to hang out?” Evan paused and turned around.

“Me?”

“No the other person on this street.” He gestured to the empty sidewalks then smiled. “Come on. It’ll be fun.” Evan looked at his big, silent house. In that moment he wanted nothing more than to visit a friend's house.

Inside was warm and homey. The radio blared some old pop station as Dab grabbed a two plates of fish tacos and set them on the table and digging in. Evan sat mesmerized by the strange contraption that sat a little ways off from the table. It spun around and defied gravity with several different colors. He immediately began to wonder how it worked and wondered if he could find a book on it at the library.

“You can put your backpack down by the door, and then I have some tacos for you.” Dab pushed the plate so close to the edge of the table Evan feared it would fall off and break. He dropped his backpack, scrambled onto the chair, and started poking at the cold tacos before looking up.

“Don’t you warm these up?” Dab frowned seeming confused.

“No. I mean, if you want to, I guess you can.” He pointed at the microwave and went back to cleaning his plate. Evan had finally decided to get up and warm the plate when a loud sound made him jump. Looking around he saw the radio had started to spark. Dab didn't seem to mind so Evan ignored it and started eating the food thinking it was safer to leave it cold.

After the snack Evan retrieved his backpack and started on homework. Dab ignored his friend’s request to work together and walked over to his craft table.

“Dab, you know the teacher’s not going to be happy if you don’t finish.” Dab didn’t seem to hear.

Only fifteen minutes later Evan was finished with his homework. He placed it in his bag and looked up at Dab who was concentrating hard on his project. He was constantly pushing back his curls as they fell over his shoulder onto his page. Evan left Dab to himself and went off to find the bathroom. Once he found it he looked in all the drawers and behind the mirror until he found it. Running back to the table he held it high for Dab to see. It was a hair tie.

“Stop moving and look up.” Dab sighed impatiently but did as his friend said. In no seconds flat a sloppy, curly mess sat on the back of his head. “There. Now it won’t bother you.” Evan smiled triumphantly then leaned forward to see what Dab was working on. It looked like a mess of glitter and paint, but to Dab it seemed to mean something. Everything had a specific place.

Dab held up his paper. Evan exhaled in appreciation.

“Wow. Can you teach me?” Dab opened his mouth to answer when the front door opened and Tabitha and Eliza walked in.

“Evan, what were you thinking? You know you’re supposed to come home right after school.” Evan lowered his gaze to the ground.

“Sorry, Mum.”

“Eliza, I’ve told you. I don’t mind if he comes over, really.” Evan stopped in the middle of picking up his backpack and looked up with hopeful eyes. Eliza hesitated then sighed.

“I guess you can come over as long as you tell me or leave a note.” Evan cheered along with Dab and picked up his backpack nearly sailing out of the house with his excitement.

“Wait, Evan! This is for you.” Dab held out the scrambled masterpiece.

“Thanks!” Evan hugged his friend and grabbed the art. “See ya tomorrow.”

And for the rest of the school year their friendship was as tight as any bond. Then came summer. Dab went off to visit some relatives for the summer so Evan was stuck at home with nobody. When school started again, the two were in different classes. Dab instantly made new friends.

After school, Evan was waiting in his usual spot. He spotted Dab walking up and raised his hand in greeting, a smile lighting up his face. The smile faded as soon as he noticed the two other kids walking behind Dab.

“Hey, Evan, I made some new friends and want to hang out with them today. Do you mind if we walk home together tomorrow?” Evan thought about telling Dab no but he figured that would be selfish. Instead he sighed and forced a smile. After all he only had to wait a day.

“Okay. See ya tomorrow.” He walked ahead of the gang and could hear them giggling and talking the whole way home.

The next day Dab said the same thing. He’d made some new friends and would walk home with Evan the next day.

And the next day the same thing.

And the next day was the same. The friends became old, and tomorrow never came. It wasn’t long before Evan would simply nod to Dab and his friends as they passed him yet he continued to wait. Dab had the time of his life that year. He didn’t get any more work done than usual, but he had learned to draw on paper instead of the desk so he could go home with his friends. He usually hosted big weekend play dates with music and coloring and games. Somehow, he always forgot Evan even if Evan happened to be at the Howlters that day.

The year after that, in third grade, Evan and Dab were in the same class yet they paid even less attention to each other. Evan sat near the back, always answered questions correctly, and stayed after school often to help his teacher clean or to set up the auditorium for a school event.

Dab sat in front of the teacher and isolated from his friends. He consistently made snide remarks that were smart for his age. His teacher often told him if he used his brains on school he would be a genius. He never did.

Evan advanced to fourth grade over the summer. Dab, due to his less than par performance and test scores, was asked to stay back and try to do a little bit better this year. The first few weeks were hard for him. His old friends teased him for being held back. He seemed even less inclined to do any work at all until his parents took away his crafting supplies and told him to please work harder. He was only nine years old. Why was he such a hassle? Desperate to get his supplies back, he started to pay attention and stop talking. He worked hard on his homework yet he could never excel. No one could seem to figure out why.

Evan had been enjoying his year as top of his class until he started to hear the rumors about Dab. He remembered the friendship of only a couple years ago and decided to do something to help his only friend.

It wasn’t long after that they ran into each other at the library. Or rather, Evan saw Dab at a table and decided that there was no better time to speak to him.

Evan normally avoided social situations if he could. Now he threw all caution to the wind and headed straight towards a conversation. Evan recognized Dab's face of concentration from when they were younger.

“Hey, Dab.” Dab jumped slightly before looking up. His gaze narrowed.

“What do you want?” Evan was confused. Didn’t Dab remember him?

Dab remembered him alright. The problem was that a lot of friends he remembered were now teasing him non-stop because of his third grade situation.

“I…” Evan took a deep breath. “I wanted to see if you wanted help with your homework.” Dab’s eyes narrowed.

“Really?”

“Yes. Dab, don’t you remember first grade. We had so much fun! I would never be mean to you.” Dab didn’t relax.

“Pinky promise?” A long, nimble pinky finger stretched over to Evan who smiled.

“Pinky promise.” He hooked his friend’s pinky with his own. Dab finally relaxed and looked down.

“Do you mind if we went to your house? I don’t want anyone to think that I’m a wuss.” Evan pursed his lips pretty sure that’s not how it worked but complied knowing that if he wanted to help Dab, he had to make sure he was as comfortable as possible.

“See ya after school!” He shouldered his backpack and walked out of the library. Dab allowed a smile.

“See ya.”

After school Evan was waiting in his usual spot when Dab showed up. “Ready?” Evan asked. Dab nodded, his unruly curls bobbing up and down. “Then let’s go.” As they walked home, Dab’s nervousness manifested itself in words. Words about the world around them. Evan was content to walk along and listen to Dab interpret the world into sounds, colors, shapes, and smells among other things. He’d never quite heard anything like what Dab was describing, but he found it amazing. They reached the Pancakes too soon for Evan who wanted to hear more. Instead, he held his tongue and walked inside.

The house was empty as usual. On Dab’s request they sat at the dining room table despite the couches looking very comfortable.

“Okay, Dab. What’s first?” Dab seemed very uncomfortable.

“Are you sure you’re okay helping me?”

“Yes. That’s what friends do.” He wasn’t very convinced but didn’t press the matter further. He pulled out his math homework and set it in front of Evan who studied it for a moment.

“Okay. Here’s how it goes.” He started to explain to Dab how to do the math and for a moment Dab was focused. Then his mind started to drift, and he was doodling on a scrap of paper. First a sun, then a train whistle, then a grave. Evan looked up and noticed the vacant stare.

“Hey. Earth to Dab.” He snapped his fingers a few times in front of the absent boy.

“My mum was abducted once. Or twice. Or three times.”

“That’s great, Dab, and I’d love to hear those stories sometime, but you need to focus.”

Dab grumbled a bit but sat still and listened to the rest of what Evan had to say before he was handed the pencil.

“Okay. Now you try the next problem.” Dab stared at the numbers on the page for a while twiddling his pencil before looking up at Evan, extremely frustrated.

“It’s not working. It’s like a messy canvas; it makes no sense.” Evan looked down at the page then back at Dab.

“Does it look like the world outside? You know with the sounds and colors?” Dab nodded confused.

“You don’t see it?” Evan shook his head.

“I think you’re special that way, Dab.” Dab smiled. “How about I explain it again and you…” He stopped before running over to a desk and grabbing a sheet of paper and box of colored pencils. He dropped it in front of his friend. “...you draw what I’m talking about. Then use your drawing to solve the problem.” The curly haired boy seemed skeptical.

“Fine.” And so Evan explained it again with Dab occasionally doodling random shapes and colors in a very not-random way. After Evan stopped speaking he looked expectantly at his friend and slid the sheet over to him. “Think you can solve it?” Dab looked it over, scribbled some more, then carefully wrote out the answer on the sheet.

“Did I do it right?” Evan checked the answer with his own.

“Yes!!” He leaned over and hugged Dab. “You did it!” Pulling back he looked down at the mess of the paper sitting in front of his friend. “Wow. That’s incredible. Do you want to do English now?”

“No.” Dab shook his head. “I get it; someone just has to read it to me. You probably have homework of your own.”

“Nah it’s fine. I can read it to you if you’d like...or not. That’s fine, too.” Dab hesitated.

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s fine.”

“Okay.” So Evan read the paper aloud. He could almost see the wheels turning behind Dab’s eyes creating his picture of shapes and colors with each sentence. When the worksheet is complete, Evan said, “You just need to learn how to do math in your head then.” Dab nodded, excited that things seemed easier now.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Evan smiled.

“See you tomorrow then.”

**Author's Note:**

> I have a vague idea of where this is going. If you have any headcanons or requests, don't be afraid to let me know.
> 
> Thanks to hopefulrosie for coming up with a gorgeous list of headcanons that have become my inspiration. 
> 
> And thanks to you all for reading. Hope you like!


End file.
